Tahini Cookies: A GF and Cow Milk Free Sesame Seed Butter Recipe

What’s with Tahini?

Sesame paste, sesame oil, tahini butter, sesame butter, benniseed, bene seed, sesamol, and just plain tahini are all names for an ingredient that people who enjoy baked goods (aka cookies, of course) should certainly know about, but what is this food good for beyond its satisfyingly wonderful, earthy taste?

Though tahini can be used as a tasty topping for toast and a replacement for peanut butter on a jelly sandwich, its list of benefits include being a great source of vitamin E, helping to reduce the effects of stress, and fortifying the immune system. It might be surprising to learn that it contains phytosterols that can help reduce harmful cholesterol and sesame seeds are being studied for their ability to delay and/or slow the spread of cancer.

We may not typically think of seeds as food but they are and we should not miss out on how they can help us maintain our health. The benefits of flax and chia seeds, among other seeds, are now more commonly known to the average person, but for those who are not acquainted with just how useful sesame seeds really are, the batches of recipes available online with tahini as an ingredient will be a new food interest.

My Tahini Cookie

So, if tahini cookie recipes are easily found, why I would want to work out my own recipe might be a reasonable question for you to ask. Long story short, I like experimenting with ingredients and I need to do so because of a dietary allergy.

I must avoid cow’s milk and I think I need to continue diminishing my gluten intake. Finding recipes that I really like and which eliminate cow’s milk and which are gluten free is not always easy.

Working out our favorite tahini cookie recipe was an adventure that resulted in a cookie healthy enough to use as an on the go breakfast, have as a snack, or use as a dessert. I'm now thinking that the right presentation with a chocolate syrup could make quite an elegant dessert out of them!

As you look over the ingredients list below, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, anticipate the goodness of the healthy ingredients. Next, know that a flax egg recipe can be used to replace the eggs, and that honey or agave can replace the sugar, which I will do sometimes for flavor variety.

Also, if you happen to use salted tahini, reduce the amount of salt at least by half. While I will definitely add dark chocolate chips to these cookies at Christmas, I doubt I will try adding traditional nuts, such as walnuts or pecans, for I do not want them to compete with the amazing tahini flavor.

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Use tahini in baking for rich flavor with health benefits. | Source

Yum ingredients make great cookies. | Source

Coconut flavor is a super addition. | Source

Tahini butter or paste has a rich, earthy taste. | Source

Tahini, tahini! Kids love to say tahini! :) (And they love to make and eat the cookies!) | Source

Easy Tahini Cookie Recipe

1 Cup Oat Flakes

2 Cups Oat Flour

1 Tablespoon Ground Flax Seed

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cup Sugar

1/2 Cup Coconut Oil

2/3 Cup Unsalted Tahini

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 Eggs

Instructions

Combine dry ingredients.

Mix remaining ingredients together and stir into a cookie dough consistency.

Form 1” balls and slightly flatten.

Space about 1 1/2” apart on a cookie sheet.

Bake approximately 14 minutes--until they just start to turn brown.

Cool about 5 minutes, then remove to a plate to finish cooling.

Store in an air tight container or freeze for later use.

How do you rate this tahini cookie recipe?

Rate Me!

5 stars from 3 ratings of Tahini Cookies

Learn about Light and Dark Sesame Seeds

What is Single Sourced Tahini Butter?

We've become familiar with the term organic and sustainable, but what is a single sourced product and why does it make one high quality? Simply put, all the seeds used to make the butter (or paste, if you prefer) are the same kind and as often as possible are from the same location.

Soom is a tahini company focused on offering Americans the highest quality product they can produce. Made from Ethiopian seeds, their tahini is toasted before being processed, providing a wide variety of recipes with a rich aroma and flavor. In comparing pastes, Soom's is the choice of many chefs and inspiring to one's like myself.

Have you used tahini in recipes?

Benefits of Tahini

Having grown up eating plain food is nothing to complain about. Too many don’t get to eat at all. However, learning about all the different foods that are available and how beneficial they are to our health continues to be exciting. Tahini is definitely one of my new favorites.

Not only is this food fun to say (especially with grandchildren--think dancing around the kitchen singing tahini, tahini, we all love tahini...), but it’s fun to eat and excellent information is available on its amazing health benefits.

Knowing what it is and how to use it, as well as to be careful of possible allergies is important so the following links are provided below for those who want to learn more right now. Use them to begin your own research and think through what recipes you want to use as you dance in the kitchen shouting tahini, tahini...!

Make Tahini Paste:

Educate Yourself on Tahini's Uses and Benefits:

• An easy to read yet comprehensive look at Sesame Seeds is a good place to start educating yourself on this amazing food.

What do you think of tahini butter in cookies?

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AUTHOR

RTalloni

9 months agofrom the short journey

Audrey Hunt :

Thanks much for letting us know you found this recipe! Hope you enjoy these as much as we have. It feels so good to have a healthy treat, you've mentioned in your hubs.

Audrey Hunt

9 months agofrom Idyllwild Ca.

Tahini is one of my very favorites. Been wondering about making cookies so thanks for this recipe which I will put to use soon.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

9 months agofrom the short journey

GlenR:

Your plan for the cookies should work out great. These are a neat way to add variety to a tray of cookies.

GlenR

9 months agofrom UK

Just what I need - an expensive jar of tahini paste has been languishing in my fridge for weeks, since a one-off attempt to make hummus. I never imagined making biscuits with tahini but am going to try this cookie recipe. I will adapt it slightly as I don’t have oat flour - will use wheat flour instead, and I don’t use coconut oil.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

2 years agofrom the short journey

Carol Morris:

Good for you! I hope you dance around the kitchen with your children when you make your treats! :)

Carol Morris

2 years ago

I love tahini - we use it a lot, as a dressing for salads and other food and of course I make tahini cookies. My kids also love tahini rice crispy treats, which I pack full of other healthy foods too (nuts, honey, etc.) so it's win-win.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

2 years agofrom the short journey

vocalcoach:

Thanks much for letting us know this recipe will be useful to you. It's so good that it's good not to make too many…. :) Cow milk free does not mean blah food!

Audrey Hunt

2 years agofrom Idyllwild Ca.

Tahini and sesame are two of my favorite ingredients. Your delicious recipe will get plenty of use and being lactose-intolerant I love the fact that this is cow milk free! Sharing.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

4 years agofrom the short journey

peachpurple:

Yes, and I hope you get to enjoy it soon. Thanks for stopping by to check this hub out.

peachy

4 years agofrom Home Sweet Home

so, that is tahini, thanks for the recipe and details

AUTHOR

RTalloni

4 years agofrom the short journey

CatherineGiordano:

I hope you get to try this recipe out soon. Thanks much for stopping in to check it out!

Catherine Giordano

4 years agofrom Orlando Florida

I love tahini and sesame. I'm going to try these cookies.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

4 years agofrom the short journey

Nancy Owens:

Here is a link to what seems to be a reliable recipe for making tahini. If you want to search out more, be sure to make a comparison of authentic ones so you don't waste your time and ingredients.

Hummus is a wonderful and versatile food, but it's not tahini.

Nancy Owens

4 years agofrom USA

I cannot find Tahini in my area. I have been using the sesame seeds in home-made hummus, though, with some success. I just grind it up with the garbanzo beans and add a little sesame oil. Don't know if that counts. Do you know how to make tahini?

AUTHOR

RTalloni

4 years agofrom the short journey

Millionaire Tips:

Warning, you may like them a little too much, like we do! ;) Thanks bunches for checking out this cookie recipe and leaving your comment.

Shasta Matova

4 years agofrom USA

Those cookies look delicious! I've pinned it so I can find it later.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

4 years agofrom the short journey

Suzanne Day:

Okay, now I'm jealous. ;) Glad to know you liked this recipe. Thanks much for coming by and for leaving your confirming note!

Suzanne Day

4 years agofrom Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

A really useful recipe! I work at a Turkish supermarket and Tahini is all the rage there, because they know it has great health benefits. I'm going to try putting tahini in cookies as per your recipe. Voted awesome!

AUTHOR

RTalloni

4 years agofrom the short journey

brakel2:

Sure hope you get to try these tahini cookies soon because they are yum. I'm going to try making them in a heart shape…we'll see. :) So appreciate you visit and comments on this hub!

Audrey Selig

4 years agofrom Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

I have never heard of tahini, but this recipe sounds like it would make a delicious snack or cookie. Your hub shows the easy steps to make this food, and the ingredients sound easy to mix together. It is fun to find healthy foods like those at Whole Foods markets. You can trust them, but you still need to skim the ingredients to make sure. Thanks for sharing this recipe, and I cannot wait to try it. Blessings Audrey Pinning

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

randomcreative:

Hope you get to enjoy this tahini cookie very soon! Thanks much for your visit and feedback.

Rose Clearfield

5 years agofrom Milwaukee, Wisconsin

I love the idea of using tahini in cookies! Thanks for the inspired recipe.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

Glimmer Twin Fan:

This cookie surprised us, as well. Now I'm looking forward to using tahini in more unexpected ways. Thanks much for taking a look at this cookie and letting me hear from you on it.

Claudia Mitchell

5 years ago

What an interesting cookie. I always think of tahini as a savory ingredient. Thanks.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

Peggy W:

Thanks for your visit here as well as for all your feedback on this hub! Hope you get to try these cookies soon, but be warned, they are really yum! :)

Peggy Woods

5 years agofrom Houston, Texas

I never thought about using tahini as a spread on toast. Will have to give that a try! Your cookies sound good. Going to pin this to my cookie board so that I can easily find it and others may wish to give it a try as well. Thanks for sharing your recipe with us.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

teaches12345:

I was amazed to read up on the benefits of sesame seed products and am glad to have a healthy cookie recipe on hand. Thanks much for letting me know you stopped in and that you like the looks of this tahini cookie!

Dianna Mendez

5 years ago

I have heard of Tahini and am willing to give it a try after reading your post and the recipe suggestion. Looks like it is pretty good for the body. Thanks for sharing.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

tebo:

Thanks kindly for coming by and for leaving your encouraging note!

tebo

5 years agofrom New Zealand

This sounds like a lovely recipe and well worth trying. Lots of healthy ingredients and I hope to make it soon. Thanks for sharing.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

BlossomSB:

Sorry to confuse you! I've been traveling and only on here and there the last couple of weeks. Thanks much for checking out this recipe, though. I'm thinking I need to make another batch of these cookies next week since they were "somehow" all eaten up while I was gone! :)

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

Genna East:

Thank you for letting me know you stopped in and that this was interesting to you. Tahini butter is my new favorite to experiment with and I'm looking forward to trying it with other flavors--but it's a stand alone great food that is now a staple for us.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

AliciaC:

Thanks very much for checking out this tahini cookies! You already know what a lovely flavor tahini is so I hope you do get to enjoy this recipe very soon. :)

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

BlossomSB:

I hope you can give it a try soon--thanks for checking my tahini cookie recipe out and letting me know what you think of it!

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

Jackie Lynnley:

So glad you found the info on tahini butter interesting. Thanks much for letting me know! It would be great to hear whether you come up with a unique way of using it.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

DDE:

Thanks for leaving your feedback on this recipe!

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

billybuc:

You're welcome. Thanks for stopping in.

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

Ericdierker:

Thanks for stopping by to check this hub out.

Bronwen Scott-Branagan

5 years agofrom Victoria, Australia

That's funny, I'm sure I commented on this yesterday. Anyway, it looks like a great recipe, I'm going to try it soon and thank you for writing it.

Genna East

5 years agofrom Massachusetts, USA

I’ve never heard of Tahini before, and I was so grateful to see a delicious but healthy recipe. This one has my vote, and more. Thank you! :-)

AUTHOR

RTalloni

5 years agofrom the short journey

StephSev108:

I hope you get to try tahini cookies soon since you love tahini! Thanks much for stopping by with your comment.

Linda Crampton

5 years agofrom British Columbia, Canada

I love tahini, but I've only eaten it in sandwiches. Your tahini cookie recipe looks very interesting, as well as easy. Thanks for sharing it. I hope to make the cookies in the very near future!

Bronwen Scott-Branagan

5 years agofrom Victoria, Australia

This sounds like a useful recipe, thank you for sharing it. I must find time to try it soon.

Jackie Lynnley

5 years agofrom The Beautiful South

You would not believe how many times I have been here today. Soon as I get here I get an email flash or a hub flash. Guess I am just miss popular today, lol. J/K!

I have never even heard of these things so I am naturally interested. I do use sesame seed oil in stir fry and have slow fried potatoes in it and really good flavor there so I will for sure look for the butter. I will run one of your links right now for the Tahini, thanks for all the interesting info and recipes. ^

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